» Pakistan Radio propaganda on anti-Sikh policies in Indian Army falls flat

Pakistan Radio propaganda on anti-Sikh policies in Indian Army falls flat

Published: Monday, February 25, 2008, 15:24 [IST]

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Amritsar, Feb 25 : Pakistan Radio has been attempting to spread communal strife in the border areas of Punjab through making allegations that the recruitment of Sikhs into the Indian Army is on the decrease due to the anti-Sikh policies of the Government.

In one of its recent Punjabi Darbar broadcasts, it also alleged that the India's development and prosperity is limited only to the procurement of arms and ammunition through corrupt means.

Countering these allegations, Lt. Colonel (retired.) Atma Singh said: "This is very simple to understand that Pakistan is trying to exploit Sikhs for their own interests. They are trying to keep their moral high while saying all this in an effort to demoralize us."

"But Sikhs are very much aware about this false propaganda and the educated Sikh youth knows their path of success. Pakistan will not reap benefits from such propaganda," Singh added.

On the allegation that the Central Government doesn't want Sikhs to join the defence forces, Lt Colonel (retired) Singh said that the defence selection board comprises of many members like a group testing officer, a psychologist and others, adding, "They jointly select defence personnel. Punjabi Durbar is totally wrong that Sikhs are not being taken into armed forces, as there are members from all communities in the selection board. Selection is totally done on merit basis."

When asked to comment over the Pakistan Radio allegation whether development and prosperity of India is limited to arms and ammunition, he said this was absurd.

"In all our forces, whether it is the army, the navy or the air force, we have to keep best equipments to be the best in world," he said.

On Sikh youth not wanting to join the army, Singh said: "The programme is totally wrong that young officers are not willing to join the forces."

It would be pertinent to mention here that apart from having Sikhs in its different regiments, the Indian Army has a separate Sikh regiment too.

This is not the first time that this propaganda programme has received such a harsh response from Punjabi youth and society. In the past too, it has tried to infuse separatist ideas, but received hard-hitting responses.

It would not be wrong to say that Pakistan Radio's 'Punjabi Darbar' exhortations have had little or no impact on Sikhs.

Such radio programmes only indicate that Pakistan cannot see a prosperous and developed Punjab.